A new journey into homesteading "pic heavy"

[Chic Rustler]

Aww....that sucks. Did you see the buck breed the does or just leave her in the buck's cage? If you saw the buck do his thing, fall off, and to have all 3 does miss, that just sucks.

Yea I don't leave them in unattended
He may have still been sterile from the heat or they could habe just missed. It was their first time being bred. They will come around

 

[Chic Rustler]

Ahhh...patience!! It's hard for me to wait a hatch, wait a grow out, wait for first eggs!!!! That's just to see if the "experiment" crosses worked! At least you get several to wait on.

Still, faster than waiting for my foals...& you only get ONE.

I'd say, if these eggs are for butcher, you may have longer than Feb to wait. That is, if you want larger birds.


ETA: Oh, no -- rabbits not preggers? At least they can rebreed and gestate fast!

What's the best age to butcher? I was thinking 12 weeks or so. Should I go longer?

 

[Chic Rustler]

the eggs are due around the 13th. If there's even a decent hatch rate I'm loading it again and filling it to the brim!


Need to get that other coop finished

 

[baymule]

Yea I don't leave them in unattended
He may have still been sterile from the heat or they could habe just missed. It was their first time being bred. They will come around

Maybe on the nest breeding, take them back to the bucks cage a week later. If they want to eat him up and have bad attitudes, they probably "took" LOL

 

[Chic Rustler]

last time I had the best litter sizes when I bred them a week after kindle and again the next day. I may try that again.

Guess I got a little rusty over the summer

 

[baymule]

You can't breed them in our summer heat anyway. Heatstroke.

 

[Mini Horses]

What's the best age to butcher? I was thinking 12 weeks or so. Should I go longer?

Back to type of bird, size you want, etc. from the other thread. You really have to just go check them every couple weeks near the time you want to butcher to feel the meat on the carcass. They will get frame first, then fill out.

That is the difference in those Cornish crosses...they get meat fast, frame can't support them.

I'm thinking they will be 3-3.5 months end of Feb? I'd think 5-6 months more realistic for any size. Remember those "long & lanky" roos? It's just a thought. You may get lucky and they will be ready -- I just wouldn't bet my chicken salad on it. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[NH Homesteader]

I have different breeds but my dorkings were too small at 5 months (they grow slooow though). My Dominiques are usually ready around 5-6. They're quite similar in frame to barred rocks so I would also say 5 months. My 12 week old Dominique crosses are still pathetically small right now and they've been free ranging their whole lives.

 

[Chic Rustler]

You can't breed them in our summer heat anyway. Heatstroke.

I figured that out the hard way. That's why I have all new does. :/

 

[Chic Rustler]

Back to type of bird, size you want, etc. from the other thread. You really have to just go check them every couple weeks near the time you want to butcher to feel the meat on the carcass. They will get frame first, then fill out.

That is the difference in those Cornish crosses...they get meat fast, frame can't support them.

I'm thinking they will be 3-3.5 months end of Feb? I'd think 5-6 months more realistic for any size. Remember those "long & lanky" roos? It's just a thought. You may get lucky and they will be ready -- I just wouldn't bet my chicken salad on it. Hope I'm wrong.

I don't mind waiting longer (too much) as long as they eat good